redux toolkit query,unable to return value with with transformResponse using queryFn

Question

I would like to modify the response received from the backend with the transformResponse function but I get an error even when I only return the first argument ""baseQueryReturnValue"".

export const categoryApiSlice = createApi({
    reducerPath: "Categories",
    baseQuery: fakeBaseQuery(),
    tagTypes: ["CategoriesTag"],
    endpoints: (builder) => ({
        getAllCategories: builder.query<Category[], void>({
            async queryFn() {
                try {
                    const ref = collection(db, "categories");
                    const querySnapshot = await getDocs(ref);
                    let categories: Category[] = [];
                    querySnapshot?.forEach((doc) => {
                        categories.push({ id: doc.id, ...doc.data() } as Category);
                    });

                    return { data: categories };
                } catch (error: any) {
                    console.error(error.message);
                    return { error: error.message };
                }
            },

        ///// here i'm getting the error pasted below //////
            transformResponse(baseQueryReturnValue, meta, arg) {
                return baseQueryReturnValue
            },


            providesTags: ["CategoriesTag"],
        }),
 
    }),
});

export const { useGetAllCategoriesQuery } = categoryApiSlice;

here is the type script error Type '(baseQueryReturnValue: unknown, meta: {}, arg: void) => unknown' is not assignable to type '(baseQueryReturnValue: unknown, meta: {}, arg: void) => Category[] | Promise<Category[]>'. Type 'unknown' is not assignable to type 'Category[] | Promise<Category[]>'.ts(2322) endpointDefinitions.d.ts(54, 5): The expected type comes from property 'transformResponse' which is declared here on type 'OmitFromUnion<QueryDefinition<void, BaseQueryFn, "CategoriesTag", Category[], "Categories">, "type">'

I also tried not to use transformResponse but rather to modify the response received in the queryFn but without success.

Answer 1

transformResponse exists because when you use the query argument to a query definition, you only create the input to your baseQuery and have no control over what happens afterwards. If only query, but not transformResponse, existed, you had no control over the final return value.

Now, when you use queryFn, you have full control over the final return value already - you write the full queryFn function after all, and you can do any kind of transformation inside of it already.

That's why transformResponse only works with query, but doesn't exist as an option when you use queryFn.
It's not necessary in that context and would only split up your logic instead of keeping it in one place.

=> You cannot use transformResponse and queryFn at the same time. It doesn't make sense, so it's not possible.
Do your transformation inside of queryFn instead.